knighthood
by Judithan
Summary: There's a network of emotions that connect you and I, and even though I never got to truly know you, I'm determined to protect you, this time. Eridave. Fluff. Post game.


Knighthood.

Summary: There's a network of emotions that connect you and I, and even though I never got to truly know you, I'm determined to protect you, this time. Eridave. Fluff. Post game.

List of ships inside:

Eridave

DaveSol

SolAradia

Implied EriFef

Note: I got the idea for Dave's powers from the fanfic The Most Glubbin Ironic Title Evver. It's a really great fanfic, and I want to leave credit where credit is due.

The regular text is the current timeline, and the italicized text is an alternate timeline that Dave skewed off of. I would have done it all linear, but I felt it was better this way. Sorry if it's confusing at all.

(x)

Purple stains the floor, little drips telling me the trail I need to follow. It's not hard to tell that he's going to be in terrible condition when I find him, considering that each drop is steadily becoming two, becoming three, becoming spills and splashes. The purple is becoming disgusting to me, at this point, but I need to press on. I'm on a schedule, and I need to make it in time.

_This is a shock to me, something new. I've never seen so much blood before. There's so much, and I can't help but feel disgusted. Even as a Strider, poker faces don't cover retching stomachs. As soon as the bile has settled on the ground, and my stomach settles, I continue on, pressing forward to find who is at the end of this blood trail. Hopefully, it's nobody who really needs any help, like that girl, Feferi or whatever. She can heal herself. She would be okay even after loosing this much blood._

I skillfully flash-step another few corners, and notice that I'm getting much closer when I see a spot on the wall where the injured individual I'm looking for collided with the steel. This only fuels my desire, and I'm practically running to find where the blood ends. At last, I find the god-forsaken door that I know he resides beyond. With a collecting sigh, I discard the panic and retrieve my poker face. I'm ready to face him. I'm ready to fix him.

_I'm curious, almost suspicious. This could very easily be a trick from that murderous juggalo who wants my blood, but I continue on anyway. Eventually, I come across a door, closed and covered in blood. Without a single thought, I open it. Who's waiting inside is the last person I really expected. I never spoke to him, so I wasn't sure what to say._

_It was…_

Eridan.

I had been looking for him, and here he was, bleeding out from a horrendous gash to his chest. Fortunately, the drone wasn't able to do enough damage to him before he had vanquished it with his harpoon gun –said weapon was quickly wielded, cocked, and pointed at the knight. As soon as the Prince recognized just who it was, he set it back at his side.

"Wwhat? You come here to finish me off or something?"

_Just the look at him makes me almost want to vomit –there is blood pooling all around his body, smeared behind him on the wall. To say he is a disgusting, bloody mess is an understatement. However, I didn't allow myself to be so rude. It was one thing to be human, but another thing to be stupid. Bro would have killed me if he knew I had showed emotion to someone so foreign as the fish boy_.

"Like hell."

I walk over to him, remembering how it felt to first see him, my entire body becoming stiff with disgust and panic. Knowing how to fix him, though, I wouldn't let that happen again. I was here for a reason, and there wasn't a way in hell I was letting him keel on me twice.

"_What happened to you?_"

"_Drones attacked me. They came to collect, but I didn't have a matesprit. They tried to kill me, but I was able to kill them and get away before they did too much damage. Well, I guess they actually did do quite a bit of damage._"

His bright eyes bore into my soul, but I couldn't let it bother me. Briskly, I walk over to him, kneeling down in the pool to assess his wound. It's exactly the same as before, and it almost disgusts me when he acts almost shamelessly human. However, I can't be bothered by that, either.

"Aren't you gonna ask me wwhat happened?"

Even though he's knocking at death's door, he's chuckling lightly to himself, almost amazed at how self-centered he was. I couldn't find it funny, but I couldn't help but try and give him a sympathetic smile. I say 'try' simply because years of having an involuntary poker face nearly retarded my ability to show expressions.

"No need. I already know."

_I panicked when he brought his scarf off, revealing the gash in his armor. Purple oozed out of it, tainting his breastplate and gauntlets. At that exact moment, I froze up, unsure of what to do about it. I tried to place some pressure on it, grabbing his cape to try and help the clotting. That didn't do much, as all it did was make the fabric soaking wet, and the aquatic creature squirm in pain._

"_It's alright, Davve. I know I'm not going to make it._"

Back then, I gave up.

_I let go of the fabric, and I watched as Eridan's face became even more light, his purplish grey complexion becoming nearly white._

"Wwhy are you doing this? I'm probably just going to die."

I place my hands to his chest, gently, and without caring what he thought. They began to glow, and as if time was simply a thread for me to weave, I begin to make sense of the chaos, taking small fragments and attaching it to others. Placing a well timed turn-about, I begin to see the gash under Eridan's armor visibly heal, slowly and steadily, and his eyes slowly widened. Color returns to his steadily paling face, and his wound is completely healed. The only trace of the gash, now, is the crack in his armor and the gratuitous amounts of blood throughout the base.

"Howw did you… do that?"

"_Eridan…_"

"_It's alright. I knoww you can't do anything. I just, wwish that I might have gotten to knoww you more. You wwere alwways… interesting… to me._"

"It's a power I learned… in an alternate timeline."

I know it's never a good idea to inform people that I'm from an alternate timeline as them, even if it is as small as a few weeks, but it's obvious from his face that he doesn't care. All he is is grateful.

_I feel him go limp, and I know that this isn't how he wanted to end. Even though I never personally knew him, I know that he wouldn't have wanted the last person he sees to be me. However, I know that I can't stop here. I have to continue going. Sollux is pestering me through my aviators and I have to respond. After all, he'd love to know what just happened to his Kismesis._

_TA: dave where the hell are you?_

_TG: sollux_

_TG: eridan is_

_TG: eridan is dead_

_TA: what the fuck?_

_TA: are you 2eriiou2?_

_TG: would i fucking joke about this?_

_TG: i just watched this asshole bleed out_

_TG: the fucking drones came to collect_

_TG: i guess feferi dump him or some shit_

_TG: because he didnt have a fuckin matesprit_

_TG: they killed him_

_TA: hey calm down_

_TA: I'll be riight there_

_TG: no_

_TG: dont_

_TG: i dont know if the drons are around or not_

_TG: do you know anyone who has healing powers_

_TG: aside from piexes_

_TA: I know aa can heal with her tiime power2_

_TA: doe2 that work_

_TG: yeah_

_TG: can you have her be at your hive when i get there_

_TG: i need to learn how to use that_

Even though I know Eridan is grateful, I know that we can't stay where we are. The drones could be nearby. Without caring about his immediate health anymore, I pull him to his feet. He groans and moans, but I ignore it. Without even thinking about it, I open up my pesterchum, just as Sollux's message comes in.

TA: dave where the hell are you?

TG: eridan was attacked by drones

TG: were coming over

TG: make sure theres no one at your place

TA: what the hell happened?

TA: ii2 he okay?

TG: no time

TG: ill tell you when we get there

I push Eridan up and it's obvious that he can't walk straight. Even though it takes away from my image as an ultimate badass, I take the risk to my pride and pick him up so that his chest is on my back, his legs wrapped around my stomach. He quickly grabs at my neck, holding on tight. Piggy-back riding isn't usually something a Strider would stoop to, but it is something a knight would do. At this point, I'd give anything to make sure this Prince is alright.

"Davve… Wwhy are you doing this? You don't have to, you knoww."

"Eridan, in the other timeline I come from, I had to sit there and helplessly watch you as you bled to death. You want to know what the last thing you said was?"

I don't have to see his face to know he's interested. Without even hearing his answer, I continue.

"You said that 'it's alright. I know you can't do anything. I just wish that I might have gotten to know you more. You were always interesting to me.' It was that moment that I decided that I would find a way to be able to heal you, so that I could come back and make your request a reality. It still freaks me out a bit, considering I still have your blood on my hands from last time."

Mentally, I kick myself. It's not a very cool thing to guilt trip the damsel in distress.

"Humans aren't used to seeing death, huh?"

I know that trolls are used to seeing death, however, despite how normal they pretend to be. Their entire society is based on a spectrum that kills others for not having the right blood, or for simply being weak. Only the strongest survive, but it's still unfair that so many children must be slain in the process. I know it's necessary, for their race to function without overpopulation, and that there's nothing I can do about it, but the Knight in me is still disgusted by this.

_I follow the blood trails back to the teleporters, where I first arrived at the base. It takes me noticeably shorter to arrive there, considering the adrenaline rushing through my veins after seeing the fish boy -'Prince' I remind myself- bleed out. I'm determined to find a way to fix this._

_Stepping on the teleporter, it takes me to Sollux's front door, which I enter without even knocking. At this point, I couldn't care less about formalities. Besides, we were past that in our Moirailigence._

"_Dave! What the fuck happened?"_

_He's upset, I can tell. Trying to just look panicked, I can tell that he's terrified – he doesn't want to loose another quadrant again._

"_Eridan – he- he was killed by the drones."_

_I'm not myself, and he can tell. Smoothing my hair down, he pulls my head down onto his shoulder, my blood stained shirt rubbing off onto his. Even though I can tell he's disgusted by this, he doesn't say anything. Mimicking Vantas, he pats my head, whispering small shoosh's. This might have made me chuckle, if not for the fact that my entire body was covered in the Prince's purple blood, and my mouth tasted of my own bile. I can feel the blood on my hand, and it's becoming dry and coarse, and I know I won't be able to completely wash it out for days._

"_Dave? Are y0u alright?"_

_It's a soft voice, and it snaps me out of my headspace. I jerk my head off of Sollux's shoulder, seeing that it is, indeed, Aradia. She's a bit taller since I last saw her, almost half a sweep ago –'wow' I think to myself 'I'm actually starting to use Alternian measurements of time.' Even though I never got that close to her, aside from her being Sollux's Matesprit, it's a very heart-warming thing to know that she's alright, even after having to see herself die in the game so many times._

"_Not really."_

_I'm honest, and she's curious._

"_What happen-"_

"_Eridan is dead."_

_Without thinking twice, I'm cold and heartless again. Even though I know she's used to death at this point, it's still a bit unnerving to see her face become not one of shock or sadness, but simply skip all the steps and simply accept it. If anyone were used to the steps of grievance, she was._

"_I see."_

_And I forget, she's used to this. I could never be as numb as her, and for the briefest of moments, I envy her. I don't have time for a self-loathing pity-party, though, and I get down to business._

"_Aradia, Sollux told me that you know how to heal someone, using your powers?"_

_She looks a bit surprised by this, but it doesn't bother me at all. I can feel Sollux rub his hand against mine, silently asking to hold it, but I deny him for now. After all of this is over, there will be plenty of time for us to keep each other sane. Right now, I just need to keep pressing forward._

"_Yes, I d0. W0uld y0u like t0 learn?"_

_I nod my head, and she grabs a knife from Sollux's kitchen. Without even thinking about it, she grabs my arm, rolls up the sleeve, and gives me a deep gash on the side of my arm, making sure not to hit a vein. I inhale violently, only barely able to stop the cry of pain from coming out. Luckily, years of surprise ass-kickings from Bro has kept me silent and on my toes. The look in her eyes screams 'I'm sorry'._

"_Place your hand over the cut."_

_I do as she says. No matter how weird this may be, she is teaching me a way to save Eridan's life._

"_N0w, imagine that y0u're g0ing t0 branch 0ff int0 an0ther timeline, but d0n't. Simply bring up y0ur powers, and concentrate this feeling 0ver y0ur cut. Y0u will be able t0 see the past. D0 you see it?"_

_I nod, doing just as she says. Light begins to eminate from my hand, and I can begin to see the threads of time, broken and undone, and I weave them back into place. It's almost as though this is completely natural, and my hand works on its own. Before my eyes, my cut begins to heal up, and there is not even a scar left in its place, only the blood that drooled out of it. Aradia smiles at me, almost as though thankful that she didn't have to try and explain how to actually heal my cut –just the thought of trying to explain how to do what I just did makes my head hurt._

"_Thank you, Aradia."_

"_Tho, what are you going to do with thith new thkill?"_

_Sollux gives me this look and I know that he already knows my answer. He knows me so well, and I know he'll approve of missing out on this conversation, if it means that I'll save his Kismesis._

"_I'm going to go back, to save that stupid Prince."_

_They both look at me, almost sad, but they know it has to be done –there was too much death during the game, and there's no need for that to translate over to how life is now. Even though it's been almost four years since the game, no one has died since it. Everyone came home. No one deserves to be denied happiness simply because they're alone and miserable._

_Sollux gives me a peck on the check, just to wish me luck. My body feels light, and begins to glow._

"_See you in a little bit."_

_And time takes me where I need to be. I won't fail this time._

Just like before, I follow the blood trail back to the teleporter. The whole time, Eridan is groaning and moaning, obviously disgusted at the amount of blood he was able to loose and still survive – to which I remind myself that he originally didn't. Reaching the teleporter, I warp us to Sollux's hive, and set him down. He is appreciative of this, as I pull his arm over my shoulder, and stabilize him with my arm around his waist.

Carefully, we walk to Sollux's front door, which I simply walk in –again, formalities have been lost between us by this point. When he first sees us, he is not only astonished, but slightly disgusted by the amount of blood smeared on us. I can tell from his face that he is trying to figure out what to do with the bloody mess that is Eridan.

"Hey, Sol."

"What the hell happened?"

He wasn't concerned so much as he was angry. If I had a say in this, I might have tried to defuse the situation, but I know how they operate –they yell and bitch at each other, have kinky, hate sex, don't talk for another week, and repeat the cycle. It works for them, as Kismesis's, and I have no reason to get between them.

"Blame Fef. She broke up with me literally just in time so I would get my ass handed to me by the drones."

I set him down on Sollux's couch, and I can here the psiionic bitch about the blood staining the fabric, but I ignore him; he's got enough grist left to make himself a couple hundred of these cheap couches. Even though I healed his most mortal wound, he still has a few small cuts and bruises over his body, which is causing him to loose even more blood and become even more pale. Knowing that I have to find these cuts and heal them up, I start attempting to remove his armor, to which he protests.

"Hey, wwhat the fuckin hell do you think you're doing, Strider?"

"You're still bleeding, and I can't see where all you're cut, with your shitty armor on. Do me a favor and help take your gauntlets and shit off?"

Obviously, he's self-conscious of removing his shirt, but I couldn't care less about what horrible anomaly he has on his body. All I care about is saving his stupid life. He huffs, but works on his gauntlets, removing both of them. Soon, I've removed his breastplate, and he removes his black undershirt.

I see what he was trying to hide. There's a massive scar along his mid-section, from where he was cut in half during the Game.

"Just don't touch it, alright?"

Cautious, almost saddened that I've seen this, I mutter a soft 'alright', and place my hands over on of his more severe cuts. Sollux is looking at me, confused, but is startled when my hands begin to glow. I look into the time that makes up the cut, weaving and snipping the threads of time to try and heal it. After a few false snags –even though my first two attempts were flawless, they were also driven by adrenaline and a need to succeed- I succeed, and his cut closes up.

"Where did you learn to do that, Ftrider?"

Before I answer him, I heal another one of Eridan's nastier cuts, and I'm relieved to notice a bit of color returning to his face. To say that I'm hoping he's alright is an understatement.

"I'm from an alternate timeline. In the timeline I was originally in, I watched Eridan die, and learned how to heal using powers similar to Aradia."

"Wait… tho if you're from a different timeline… where'th the Dave from thith timeline?"

"I thought about that kind of thing a while back, and in my brilliance, I created a safeguard that acts as an overwrite- I am the only Dave in this timeline now. That way, I won't have to worry about alternate, dead Daves showing up."

The thought of all of the dead Daves just lying about my house back in the game sickens me a bit, but I ignore the feeling. There are more pressing matters at hand. I find another of the cuts that riddled the Prince's back, and fix it up. He cringes a bit at the feeling, and I can understand that it's a bit uncomfortable.

"Are you feeling any better, Eridan?"

He shivers a bit, and I'm a bit worried that he's in worse shape than what I can fix. Fortunately, he gives me a sad smile, which turns into some kind of toothy grin.

"Never better."

Knighthood never felt so right, before now.

(x)

Lame ending, I know. It was going to end up with Eridan and Dave becoming Matesprits and having happy-pail-times, but it didn't work for me, so I decided not to end it like that. If I get enough reviews, I'll add it as an unrelated sequel or something, but not before then.

Feel free to review, flame, or rant! I just want some feedback.


End file.
